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ISSN 2349 – 0594
International Journal of Modern
Chemistry and Applied Science
International Journal of Modern Chemistry and Applied Science 2015, 2(3), 189-194
Balanites (Balanite aegyptiaca) Del., Multipurpose Tree a Prospective Review
Azene Tesfaye*
*Biodiversity research Center, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
Corresponding author email [email protected]
Abstract: Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del., is an evergreen xerophyte with ample beneficial attribute. The
plant has m a j o r b i o l o g i c a l a c t i v e c o m p o n e n t t h a t c o n t r i b u t e s i n i t s n u t r a c e u t i c a l
applications. The seeds of this plant contain 30-60% oil, which is edible and used as cooking oil. Fruits are
also edible and contain essential minerals. Beside this, the leaf of this plant is a one of the favorite fodder
among goats, so it can play an important role of fodder tree in the desert in severe drought. All parts of the
plant gifted various pharmacological activity. For instance, the fruits and roots of this plant contain
diosgenin, which can be used in pharmaceutical industry in production of oral contraceptive and steroids.
Furthermore, this plant used as treatment of diarrhoea, hermorrhoid, stomach aches, jaundice, yellow fever,
syphilis and epilepsy. The fruit is used to treat liver disease and as a Purgative. The plant is containing
phenolic compounds including; saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids which contributes in its
pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, anti- tumor, larvicidal, Anti
nonciceptive, Anthelmentic and antidiabetic activity.
Key point Balanites aegyptiaca, Balantoside diosgenin, neutraceutical, spononin
1. Introduction
Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. belongs to
the family Balanitaceae. It is a multibranched,
evergreen tree native to the Sudano-Sahielian
region of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia
As described by Hines & Eckman, [12]. The plant is
known by different vernacular names in different
parts of the world. For instance, Arabic names:
Heglig (tree), lalob (fruit); trade name: zaccone,
zachun, desert date (dried fruit); (Rathore et al., [22]
in India: Hindi name is Hingot and English name is
thorn tree/desert date and in Ethiopia, Amharic
name is Bedeno Rathore et al., [22] reported that, B.
aegyptiaca is thorny species, spiny shrub or tree
with 10 m in height. Flowers are greenish white
fragrant with 5-6 mm in diameter, axillary in few
flowers cyme or fascicles. Flowering and fruiting
occurs during October (Bhandari, [2]. Seeds are
pendulous and ex-albuminous The leaves are
alternate, two foliate, petioles are 3-6 mm long,
leaflets are elliptic and have broadly pointed
petioles up to 5 mm long.
According to Abu Al-Futuh, [1] B.
aegyptiaca has a wide range of nutraceutical
applications. Fleshy pulp of the fruit is eaten fresh
or dried. It contains 64 – 72% carbohydrates, plus
crude protein, steroidal saponins, vitamin C,
ethanol and other essential minerals for human.
Moreover, Mohamed et al., [17] pointed out that, the
seed kernel is edible product. It contains good
quality oil and high protein content. Pervious
finding of Hall and Walker, [11]; Tesfay et al.,[24] ;
Varshney and Vyas[25] indicates that, all parts of
the tree have a medicinal uses including fruits,
seeds, barks and roots. The most important is
steroidal saponins, which yield diosgenin, a source
of steroidal drugs, such as corticosteriods,
contraceptives and sex hormones as described by
Farid et al., [8]; Pettit et al., l21].
According to Tesfay et al.,[24] as a
multipurpose tree, B. aegyptiaca provide food,
medicinal products and fuel-wood valued for
subsistence living in arid and semi-arid areas where
other options are few.
The potential of B. aegyptiaca under management
remains unexplored and it is a priority to construct
a picture of variation within the natural range and
to generate the capacity to raise plants with
desirable features as described by Chothani and
Vaghasiya, [5]. Thus, the present paper point out the
overall potential of B. aegyptiaca and its
nutraceutical application.
2. Description of Balanite aegyptiaca
Botanical Description
B. aegyptiaca belongs to the family
Zygophyllaceae which composed of about 25
genera and 240 species and predominant in
tropical, subtropical and warm temperate, often in
drier areas including in Africa. It is annual or
perennial herbs as is assigned to the following
botanical classification as described by Chapagain
and Wiesman, [5].
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International Journal of Modern Chemistry and Applied Science 2015, 2(3), 189-193
temperature, high light intensity, high wind
velocity and severe drought.
Fig1.1 B.aegyptiaca, Ethiopia
Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
Super division: Spermatophyta
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Sapindales
Family: Zygophyllaceae
Genus: Balanites Delile
Species: Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile
3. Distribution and Ecology
Natural distribution is obscured by
cultivation and naturalization. It is believed
indigenous to all dry lands south of the Sahara,
extending southward to Malawi in the Rift
Valley, and to the Arabian Peninsula, introduced
into cultivation in Latin America and India. It is
the one of the furthermost neglected common tree,
usually found throughout in dried regions of
Africa, the Middle East, India and Burma as
indicated by Mohd et al., [18]; Mitra et al., [19].
Boffa, [3] pointed out that, the plant is native to
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic
of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Libyan, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen,
Republic of, Zambia, Zimbabwe
The plant can survive in various types of
soil including deep sands, sandy clay loams, sandy
loams or clays but is mainly found on level
alluvial sites with deep sandy loam and free access
to water as described by Orwa et al., [20]. The plant
can be growing up to 2000 m altitude with mean
annual temperature of 20 to 30°C and mean annual
rainfall of 250 to 400 mm 3. According to Chothani
and Vaghasiya, [6] after the seedling stage, t h e
p l a n t is intolerant to shade and prefers open
woodland or savannah for natural regeneration. It
is a lowland species with a full potential to produce
reliable yield under unreliable conditions. Orwa et
al., [20] reported that the plant can withstand high
Fig 1.2. Natural distrbution of B.aegyptica
Source Boffa, [3].
4. Morphological Description
According to (Hall and Walker, [11]; Orwa et al.,
[20]
, B.aegyptiaca is spiny branches, highly drought
tolerant evergreen plant, a dicotyledonous
flowering species, belongs to Zygophyllaceae
family. The tree has bushy, tough leaves, and a
double root system, and produces date-like fruits.
It is also a thorny species which has 2.5-3.5 cm
lengthy thorns.
The leaves with two separate leaflets; leaflets
obovate, asymmetric, 2.5 to 6 cm long, bright
green, leathery, with fine hairs when young leaves
compound and spirally arranged on the shoots,
dark green with 2 firm coriaceous leaflets;
dimensions and shapes varying widely as reported
by Chothani and Vaghasiya, [6]. Trunk is short and
often branching from near the base (Chothani and
Vaghasiya, [6]) and the bark color vary and it
ranged from dark brown to grey deeply fissured .
Also Chapagain and Wiesman, [5] explained that
Branches of this plant is armed with stout yellow
or green thorns up to 8 cm long and Flowers are
small, bisexual, greenish white, fragrant, in
axillary clusters, few or many in number, cymes or
fascicles, inconspicuous, hermaphroditic, and
pollinated by insects.
Fruit is a rather long, narrow drupe, 2.5 to 7 cm
long, 1.5 to 4 cm in diameter. Young fruits are
green and tormentose, turning yellow and glabrous
when mature while, ripe fruit are brown or pale
brown with a brittle coat enclosing a brown or
brown-green sticky. Pulp is bitter-sweet and
edible. Seed is the pyrene (stone), 1.5 to 3 cm long,
light brown, fibrous, and extremely hard and can
be stored with insecticides. Approximately one
tree produces 100 - 150 kg/ year. According to
Chothani and
Vaghasiya [6] the plant begins to flower
and fruit at 5 to 7 years of age and maximum seed
production is when the trees are 15 to 25 years old.
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International Journal of Modern Chemistry and Applied Science 2015, 2(3), 189-193
5. Phytochemical Constituent
B. aegyptiaca contain different biological active
compounds which contribute a vital role in its
nutraceutical applications. It contains saponin,
furanocoumarin, and flavonoid namely quercetin
3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rutinoside; 3-glucoside,
3rutinoside,
3-7-diglucoside
and
3rhamnogalactoside of isorhamnetinide (furostanol
glycoside) and 6 methyldiosgenin, balanitin-3
(spirostanol glycoside), Balanitin-6 and -7
Diosgenyl saponins, two pregnane glycosides
namely pregn-5-ene-3β,16β,20(R)-triol 3-O-(2,6di- O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-d-glucopyran- oside
(balagyptin), and pregn-5-ene-3β,16β,20(R)-triol
3-O-β-d-glucopyrano-side major sapogenin is
yamogenin, two alkaloid namely, N-trans-
feruloyltyramine and N-cis- feruloyltyramine, and
three common metabolites, vanillic acid, syringic
acid; and 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-propanone, beta-sitosterol, bergapten,
marmes in, and beta-sitosterol glucoside,balanitin1,-2, and -3 as described by Chothani and
Vaghasiya, [6]; Kamel et al., [13]; Farid et al., [8].
The fruit mesocarp contains a large variety of
chemicals amongst which are the pregnane
glycosides,
coumarins,
flavonoids,
6[15]
;
methyldiosgenin and saponins. Koko et al.,
Koko et al., [14] ; Kamel et al., [13. Pointed out that
the most important biological active component of
the plant is steroidal saponins, which yield
diosgenin, a source of steroidal drugs, such as
corticosteriods, contraceptives and sex hormones.
Figure 1.3 Major biological active constituent of B.aegyptiaca, source (Chothani and Vaghasiya, [6].
commonly used as animal fodder.
6. Nutritional values of B. aegyptiaca
Nutritionally, Balanites leaves, flowers and 7. Medicinal Application of B. aegyptiaca
All the parts of Balanites aegyptiaca are
fruit pulp are good sources of protein, K, Fe, Mn,
Zn and Cu. Bas mentioned by (Hall and Walker, traditionally used in several folk medicines across
[11]
. Chothani and Vaghasiya [6] clearly explained the globe. This plant has got tremendous
that, the fleshy pulp of both unripe and ripe fruit is importance and being used in treatment of several
[26]
edible and eaten dried or fresh, the fruit is used as diseases and disorders. According Wilson et al.,
sweetmeats in Ghana, alcoholic liquor in Nigeria, a the fruit used as oral hypoglycemic drug in the
soup ingredient in Sudan. Young leaves and tender Sahara region of Africa. Furthermore, Hall and
[11]
reported that the fruits are also
shoots are used as a vegetable, which is boiled, Walker
commonly
used
as purgative, antiparasitic and
pounded, then fried or fat added to prepare it. The
flowers are a supplementary food in western part schistosomicide. According to Chapagain and
Wiesman, [5] reported that, the stem, root and leaf
of Africa. As indicated by Hall and Walker, [11].
Chothani and Vaghasiya, [6] reported that, extracts of B.aegyptiaca have commonly been
the kernels produce edible oil used for cooking. used as various traditional folk medicines
The oil remains stable when heated and has a high especially in the treatment of parasites, sore throat,
smoking point, and therefore its free fatty acid constipation and eye irritation as reported by Gaur
[9]
content is low. Its scent and taste are good. The et al., .
Earlier studies on therapeutic values of
leaves are eaten raw or cooked, the oily seed is
B.aegyptiaca
shown anthelminthic, antivenin,
boiled to make it less bitter and eaten mixed with
sorghum, and the flowers can be eaten. The fruit anticancer, antioxidant, mosquito larvicidal
[4]
can be fermented for alcoholic beverages. The seed Chapagain and Wiesman, , anti-inflammatory,
[19]
, wound healing,
contains seed oil used as cooking oil. The seed antidiabetic Motaal et al.,
cake remaining after the oil is extracted is hepatoprotective, hypocholesterolemic, diuretic
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International Journal of Modern Chemistry and Applied Science 2015, 2(3), 189-193
contraceptive and antiviral activities in various
parts of Balanites extracts Gaur et al., [9]. Aqueous
extract of fruits showed spermicidal activity as
reported by Speroni et al., [23] without local
vaginal irritation in human being antidiabetic,
treatment of jaundice. Seed is used as expectorant,
antibacterial, antifungal, febrifuge, anthelmintic
and purgative as indicated by Mitra et al., [16];
Chothani and Vaghasiya, [6]). Fruit is used in
whooping cough, also in leucoderma and other
skin diseases. Bark is used as spasmolytic. The
seed oil is used to treat tumors and wounds used as
laxative, also used in treatment of hemorrhoid,
stomach aches, jaundice, yellow fever, syphilis,
and epilepsy as explained by Chapagain and
Wiesman, [5], the bark o f t h i s p l a n t i s used
in the treatment of syphilis, round worm
infections, and as a fish poison .
Furthermore, Speroni et al., [23] pointed out
that, the plant is used as a purge to remove
intestinal parasites with the root, branches, bark,
fruit and kernel extracts shown to be lethal to the
miracidia and cercariae of Shistosoma mansoni and
to Fasciola gigantica (Koko et al., [14]. Extracts of
the tree shown abortive and antiseptic properties as
indicated by Speroni et al., [23]. According to
Kamel et al. [13] roots boiled in soup are used
against oedema and stomach pains. Roots are used
as an emetic; bark infusion is used to treat
heartburn. Wood gum mixed with maize meal
porridge is used to treat chest pains as indicated by
(Orwa et al., [20].
8. Other Uses
The tree is managed through agroforestry.
It is used to attract insects for trapping as described
by Gour and Kant, [10]. The pale to brownish
yellow wood is used to make furniture and durable
items such as tools, and it is a low- smoke
firewood and good charcoal. The smaller trees and
branches are used as living or cut fences because
they are resilient and thorny. The tree fixes
nitrogen. Root cuttings readily form a live fence.
The bark yields fibers, the natural gums from the
branches are used as glue, and the seeds have been
used to make jewelry and beads as explained by
Orwa et al., [20]. The plant is used as a source of
fire, fibre, timber, gum (resin) as described by
Gour and Kant, [10] ; Orwa et al., [20].
Fire: The wood is good firewood; it produces
considerable heat and very little smoke, making it
particularly suitable for indoor use, it produces
high-quality charcoal, and it has been suggested
that the nutshell is suitable for industrial activated
charcoal.
Fibre: A strong fibre is obtained from the bark
(Orwa et al., [20]. Timber: The wood is pale yellow
or yellowish-brown. Heartwood and sapwood are
not clearly differentiated. The wood is hard,
durable, worked easily and made into yokes,
wooden spoons, pestles, mortars, handles, stools
and combs.
Gum or resin: A greenish-yellow to orange-red
resin is produced from the stems. It is sucked and
chewed when fresh. It is used as glue for sticking
feathers onto arrow shafts and spearheads and in
the repair of handle cracks and arrows.
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International Journal of Modern Chemistry and Applied Science 2015, 2(3), 189-193
8. Conclusion
B.aegyptiaca is a multipurpose plant with
high economic potential for the people of desert.
The plant has tremendously biological active
component which contribute in its neuractucal
application, all parts of the plant used as food with
promising effects antimicrobial, hepatoprotective,
anti-proliferative and antioxidant activities
antidiabetic activity ,antiviral activity wound
healing activity, Hypocholesterolemic activity,
and diuretic activity Plantation of this species
should be promoted in arid regions as shelterbelts
and in saline soil for reclamation of soil, it will
be helpful in conservation of biodiversity.
9. References
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